Improvement in grain-separators



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UNrTnn STATES PATENT Trice.

E. O. PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,071, dated January16, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E.O. PATTERSON, of Chicago, Gool; county, and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Grain Separating andCleaning Machine; and I do hereby declare that the Afollowing is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is an elevation of one side of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section, taken in a vertical plane through the center ofthe machine. Fig. 3 is a top view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a top viewwith the hopper removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

The iirst part of my invention relates to a novel mode of regulating theow of grain from the hopper upon the separating-sieve, whereby a freeand uniform ow of the grain is maintained and all liability of thedischargeaperture of said hopper clogging up is prevented.

The second part of the invention relates to a hinged apron forconducting oli' oats and sticks from the rst grain-sieve, which apron isso applied to the sieve-shoe or shaker, that it can be thrown up when itis desired to inspect the sieve beneath it.

The third part of my invention relates to a mode of supporting thesieve-shoe and the grain-sieve therein, whereby they receive independentshaking motion from an eccentricshaft, said shaft acting directly on thegrainsieve and through a strap on the shoe, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The object of the fourth part of my invention is to provide for chattingthe grain prepa ratory to its entrance into the blast-spouts by means ofthe same machine which is employedfor blowing away the dust, lightgrain, and other foreign substances at the place where the grain entersthe trunk of the fan-case.

The object of the fth part of my invention is to more effectuallycontrol the effect of the blast upon grain of different specificgravities at the point where the grain falls into the trunk of thefan-case.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, andB represents a fan-case, which is located at one end of the frame and soconstructed as to communicate with a trunk, O, that has alongitudinallyinclined bottom, C C2, extending from one end of themachine to the other beneath the fan-chamber, as shown in Fig. 2. Thehinged part C2 of this bottom can be set at different inclinations withrespect to the part O', so as to prevent the escape of good grain whenthe blastis acting upon it. This tail-piece C2 may be extended bysetting upon it a piece,n, which, when desirable, may be removed. Thetailpiece O2 should always extend beyond thev discharging end of thesieve F, so as to catch the good grain and conduct it into the trunk G.This extension beyond the said end of the sieve F is made by the piecen, but it may be made on the piece C2 itself. The main object in havinga piece, n, is that it shall be removable and not used when the kernelsof grain are uniformly of about the saine specific gravity.

D represents the fan, the shaft of which extends transversely across theframe A, and may be driven by any convenient means. Directly above thisfau an opening is made through the fan-case B, which is covered atcertain times by a hinged door, a, as shown in Fig. 2.

Above the fan-case B and its trunk C is an inclined shoe, E, which issupported near its ends by means of four Hat springs, b b, two of whichare shown in Fig. l attached to the posts of the frame A. At the upperend of this shoe E a sieve-frame, F, is loosely attached, whichsieve-frame extends downward so as to discharge the grain over theopening c of the trunk O, as shown in Fig. 2.

At an intermediate point between the ends of the frame A, and arrangedbeneath the shoe E and its sieve-frame, is a horizontal transverseeccentric shaft, G, to which a strap,

d, is attached at one end by aloose ring. The opposite end of thisspring-strap is connected to a transverse bar, e, that is secured to theside pieces of the shoe E. Upon this bar the sieve-frame F rests when itis not acted upon by the eccentric shaft G. The shaft G is eccentric forthe greater part of its length for the purpose of giving the sieve-frameF a rapid vibratin g movement by lifting it up and then suddenlydropping it upon the cross-bar e,- but the most important object of thislong eccentric shaft is to admit of the steel strap d being adjusted andset at different points between the ends of the shaft, so that thisshaft will not be worn too much at one point. The strap d, being made ofsteel, will not wear away very rapidly, but as the shaft G is made ot'soft iron it will wear away and require the strap to be adjusted. Vhenthe shaft Gr is rotated it gives a longitudinally-shaking motion to theshoe. At the same time this shaft gives an independent motion to thesieveframe.

Directly above the screen F is an apron, H, which is pivoted at itsupper end to the sides of the shoe E, so that theapron can be thrown upwhen it is desired to inspect or get at thc screen F which is beneathit. The space between the upper end of the apron H and the upper end ofthe shoe E is covered by a grainscreen, g, through which the grain,grass-seed, chess, Src., pass freely, but which separates the oats andsticks, which latter pass on the apron H, and are conducted off at thelower end, but at the sides of the shoe, by the oblique strips h h onsaid apron.

At the upper end of the shoe E a transverse plate, j, is attached bymeans of short arms, so that the plate will project into the narrowdischarge-opening of the hopper J, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This platehas one edge notched like a saw, and it receives a reciproeatin g motioncorresponding somewhat to that which is given to the shoe, and serves toprevent the discharge-opening of the hopper from clogging with grain,85o. This plate j will also assist in keeping up a constant flow ofgrain from the hopper.

The operation of my machine is as follows Grain which is to be cleanedand deprived of all foreign substances is put into the hopper J andflows down to the discharge-openin g, from which it is compelled toescape by the motion of the saw-plate or feeder j. The grain first fallsupon the sieve g, which separates the oats and sticks from it and allowsit to fall through upon the screen F, while the larger substances thangrain pass over the apron H and escape from the openings t' t at thesides of the shoe E. As the grain and small seed move downward upon thescreen F the small seed escape into the movable receptacles K L, thegrass seed into the first and larger seed into the second receptacle.The grain passes off at the lower end of the screen F in a thin streaminto the trunk Grof the fan-case, and in falling it is subjected to astrong blastof air from the upper end of the trunk O, which air isdirected upward by the hin gedtail-piece G2. (Shown in Fig. 2.)

The tail-board C2 can be raised or lowered to any desired pitch, workingas it does upon a hinge or pivot. The board n can also be raised orlowered, so as to prevent any grain from blowing over which you maydesire to retain, or to allow all suoli grain as you may desire to blowover along with the chaff, dust, and other foreign substances.

For the purpose of chaffingf7 raise the lid or door a in the fan-caseand reverse the motion of the fan. By this adjustment the blast of airwill be thrown out through the door a and directly under the receivingends of the sieves F g. After the chatting process the grain may againbe passed through the machine; but in such second operation the inotionof the fau is such as to blow a blast of air through the trunk C of thefan-case, and the lid a. is closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, an d desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. The construction and arrangement of the saw-toothed agitator J in themanner and for the purpose described.

2. The hinged apron H, in combination with the shoe E and grainriddle g,substantially as described.

3. The construction and arrangement of the eccentric shaft G, so that itgives motion directly to the screen F and also vibrates the shoe E,substantially in the manner described.

4. The shaft G, which is eccentric from one end to the other, incombination with the narrow strip d, which is adjustable longitudinallyon the shaft, substantially as described.

5. The construction of the fan-case with the parts B C (12oz a', andapplying it in respect to the upper and lower ends of the sievessubstantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

6. The adjustable tail-piece G2, in combination with the fan-case B andtrunk C, substantially as described.

E. C. PATTERSON.

Vitnesses:

Z. F. CHASE, GnAs. L. S'riLns

